A sign for Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital, located at 1101 W. University Drive in Rochester Hills. (Andrea Peck/The Oakland Press)
Ascension Michigan, which operates eight Detroit-area hospitals, is offering new details about how a recent ransomware attack is affecting patient care.
Ascension, a national Catholic health care organization, reported the attack May 8. It resulted in hiccups in care nationwide that the St. Louis-based Ascension is still working through.
Southeast Michigan hospitals are located in Novi, Rochester Hills, Southfield, Madison Heights, Warren, Detroit, East China Township and Grand Blanc.
The attack resulted in some reliance on manual and paper-based patient documentation and records, which remains in effect in some cases.
All 15 Michigan hospitals and physician offices and care sites across the state remain open, Ascension Michigan said in a statement late Monday, May 13.
But it is not business as usual. The attack is still affecting Ascension facilities in these ways:
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS
All Ascension Michigan emergency departments are accepting walk-in patients, the statement said. But some hospitals are implementing a “diversion process” in some cases, in which ambulances bypass an Ascension facility and go to another location.
The statement said the diversions are “dependent on a number of factors, including case severity, service lines, and availability.”
Ascension said it is in communication with emergency medical service providers on facility availability.
Ascension advises those with a medical emergency to call 911, and first responders will transport them to the most appropriate hospital, the statement said.
Ascension did not say which Michigan hospitals are affected by the diversions.
ELECTIVE SURGERIES
Patients with scheduled elective surgeries should arrive as planned unless otherwise notified.
If rescheduling is necessary, an Ascension staff member will contact them.
“Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays,” the statement said.
Patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications, including prescription numbers or bottles.
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
Some facilities have temporarily delayed diagnostic imaging and testing so they can focus resources on inpatient and emergency care. Patients will be contacted if they need to reschedule.
DOCTOR VISITS
Ascension Michigan doctor’s offices and care sites are operating with normal business hours, and most scheduled appointments are proceeding as planned.
Patients will be contacted if rescheduling is necessary..
As with elective surgeries, patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications or bottles.
PRESCRIPTIONS
Ascension pharmacies are able to fill prescriptions but ask patients to bring their prescription bottles from a previous fill. They are not able to accept credit cards.
Ascension did not say when all systems will be back to normal.
Ascension said it has not determined whether patients’ personal information was compromised and an investigation is continuing, with the help of the FBI.
Ascension said affected patients would be notified if their information was affected.
The attack came as a joint venture with Henry Ford Health is underway that would bring the eight southeast Michigan Ascension hospitals and an addiction treatment facility in Brighton into the Henry Ford family.
The joint venture, announced last fall, will be branded Henry Ford Health. It is not a merger or acquisition.
The two health care companies said last fall that they expect to close the venture in summer 2024.
